Overview
- Duke quarterback Darian Mensah torched Clemson’s secondary with 241 passing yards and four touchdowns by halftime and finished with 361 yards.
- Clemson allowed a 77-yard touchdown and a 43-yard strike just before halftime as the Tigers surrendered 28 first-half points, their highest opening total this season.
- Television cameras caught Dabo Swinney shouting at members of his secondary and later confronting officials, with the videos spreading widely on social media.
- A defensive pass interference on Avieon Terrell on fourth-and-10 positioned Duke for a go-ahead touchdown and a successful two-point conversion with 40 seconds remaining.
- The loss jeopardizes Clemson’s bowl streak and escalates scrutiny of staff changes and Swinney’s job security, with reporting noting a significant contract buyout.